Cricket has been played on Combe Down since the mid nineteenth century, various teams have played matches as Combe Down as far back as 1857, the first reported match against Box Cricket Club appeared in the Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette, possibly by workers from the stone quarries of both villages. The following year 1858 a match report appeared against Chippenham. Fixtures were listed at times during the 1880’s -1890’s but no official club was formed until the summer of 1897 when as part of the rugby club a cricket section was created.

This club was in existence, when in 1911 the obituary of the club captain appeared in the Bath Chronicle which referred to the now defunct Combe Down Cricket Club.
No further mention was made of a Combe Down cricket club until the 1930’s but it must have started again when the Bath Chronicle reported in 1931 a match against G.Mannings & Son where novel bye laws tried in an attempt to speed up the game and stop stonewalling. The rules briefly were: Any batsman failing to hit each ball bowled with his bat has a minor recorded against him i.e. lose a run. Any batsman hitting the ball each time but failing to score a run has three minors recorded against him. It was not reported what the outcome was.
In 1938 the Bath Chronicle reported that requests to play games on the village Firs Field were refused by Monkton Combe Parish council. The search for a permanent home continued. Some games were played on the Old Cricket Field which is the now Monkton Infants School playing field.
Unfortunately any records of the Club and where home matches were played prior to the second world war have been lost.
Combe Down Cricket Club was re-formed in 1947 following a meeting of previous players and members of the rugby club on 27th July 1947 at the King William IV public house in the village. The matches were played at various venues, most home games on Hick’s field on the present day Foxhill estate and occasionally the corporation grounds at Norwood.
In 1950 permission from Mr.Stevens, who kept cattle on Longwood field, was obtained to use Longwood as a home ground. A wooden hut was obtained as a pavilion at a cost of £40 and sight screens constructed from air balloon fabric at a cost of £2-15s.
Longwood, which is now opposite Ralph Allen school, continued here until 1954 during which time a match was played between Combe Down and a Somerset XI raised by Bill Andrews in aid of Arthur Wellard’s benefit, it took place on Sunday 22nd July 1951. The Somerset team Featured Captain Bill Andrews, Bertie Buse Frank Lee, Harold Stephenson, Roy Smith amongst others.

The film ‘Titfield Thunderbolt’ starring Stanly Holloway, Sid James and Naunton Wayne was to be f ilmed locally in 1952, the secretary had written to Ealing Studios to offer the services of Combe Down Cricket Club for the scenes containing the cricket match. This offer was accepted by the Casting Director and filming took place at Monkton Combe School, Jack Humphries being the bowler when the wicket fell. The film was released in early 1953.
In September 1952 the hut was broken into and all of the clubs’ kit was stolen. This nearly brought the club to its knees but thanks to generous donations from the local supporters the club was able to continue
In 1954 the landowner stated his reluctance to cut the outfield but the cattle grazing would keep the grass short. This in fact was not the case as the out field became very rough and the cattle caused other problems mainly their mess and encroaching the playing area during play and damaging the square. Reluctantly the club left Longwood and after fruitless attempts to find another site or agreement with either of the local private schools moved to the corporation pitches at Norwood and Odd Down. The search for a permanent home continued.
From 1955 until 1970 Combe Down continued to play their home matches at Odd Down on Saturdays and at Norwood on Sundays but due to the expansion of Bath University at Claverton Down Norwood no longer became available.
July 23rd 1968 was a red letter day in the history of the club where they triumphed over Bath West Indies CC in the Bath and Distric Knock-out cup final at Combe Park home of Lansdown CC. Their only previous appearance in the final being in 1955 where they lost to Lansdown A.
From 1970 until 1981 Saturday matches were still played at Odd Down but Sunday matches were played at Lansdown corporation ground.

Combe Down joined the North East Somerset Cricket League for the 1976 season. The first game of league cricket being at Nailsea in division 2 on 1st May 1976, the first home game at Odd Down against Oldfield Park on 15th May 1976.
In 1982 both Saturday and Sunday fixtures were played at Odd Down playing fields, more in keeping with their home location on the southern edge of the city.
Following the deterioration in pitch quality at Odd Down in 1990 both Prior Park and Monkton Combe were approached as to the possibility of using their grounds but to no avail, but in 1996 Prior Park agreed to the use of their ground. This continued until 2000 when the hire costs became prohibitive for a club of Combe Downs size.
Monkton Combe now agreed to allow their grounds to be used so yet again the move was made to a new home but by 2008 this was no longer the case and it resulted in various grounds being used both Kingswood School and the Sulis Club.
The club were approached by Combe Down Rugby Club with a possibility of entering in to an agreement to share the Glasshouse Ground on Combe Down,the former Bath Technical School and Culverhay School sports ground, which had become available. This we quickly agreed to along with Bath Hospitals CC and Culverhay and Beechen Cliff schools. The go-ahead was given, a trust was set up to manage the ground and work began and a wicket was laid. The ground was finally ready for use in 2011.
With the demise of the North East Somerset Saturday section at the end of the 2015 season Combe Down joined the Wiltshire Cricket League for the 2016 season. Finally after so many years searching Combe Down finally has a permanent home.

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